Press release archive: 2014

2013 – an exceptionally warm year

According to the Finnish Meteorological Institute, 2013 was an exceptionally warm year, with higher than normal precipitation levels in the central parts of the country.

Photo: Eija Vallinheimo

According to preliminary statistics, the mean temperature for 2013 ranged from over 6°C in the southern and western coastal areas of Finland to just under 1°C in Central and Northern Lapland.

Compared to the long-term average (1981-2010), the mean temperature was higher than normal throughout the country. In most of the country, the deviation was 1-2°C, but in southwest Finland it remained at just below 1°C The mean temperature for all of Finland was the sixth highest measured since 1847. The only warmer years on record were 1938, 1989, 2011, 2000 and 1934.

Of the individual months measured throughout the country, only March, April and July were colder than normal, with March even recording exceptionally cold temperatures. The lowest temperature of the year, -39.7°C, was recorded on 9 December at Sodankylä, Vuotso. On average, the lowest temperature of the year is measured in December once every 6-7 years. The highest temperature of the year, 32.4°C, was recorded on 26 June in Liperi Tuiskavanluoto. Key features of the year's temperatures were a cold March and exceptionally long thermal summer in Lapland. In places, the thermal summer was the longest recorded in the past 50 years. There were 52 hot days recorded throughout the country. This is 16 more hot days than normal. The first hot day was 17 May and last 9 August.

More precipitation in Central Finland

In northernmost Lapland, annual precipitation levels remained at approximately 350 millimetres, but rose to over 700 millimetres in eastern parts of Finland. Compared to the long-term average, Northern Lapland received the least amount of precipitation, falling to 70-80% of normal levels. Conversely, central parts of the country received more than the normal amount of precipitation, although deviations from the long-term average only ranged from 10 to 20%. The highest daily level of precipitation measured, 100.4 mm, was recorded on 27 June in Lavia Riiho.

During the year, there were fewer than normal storm days, even though three extensive storms—Eino, Oskari and Seija—occurred in November-December. The storms caused damage to forests and power outages. During the year, approximately 115,000 lightning strikes were reported, which is slightly below average. The thunderstorm season fell mostly in June. The heaviest thunderstorms occurred on 27 June, when approx. 28,500 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes were reported.